St. John’s fans are losing it over Ruben Prey’s scorching hot 1st half vs. Duke

Since Rick Pitino took over, St. John’s fans can count on their team to play physical defense, force turnovers, and attack the rim. However, especially in the NCAA Tournament, three-point shooting hasn’t necessarily been the Johnnies’ primary forte. That is, until the first half of St. John’s first Sweet 16 appearance in 26 years. 

Pitino’s Red Storm have come out firing in Washington D.C. on Friday night, hitting nine of their 18 three-point attempts in the first half. Pitino joked about god being on St. John’s side after Dillon Mitchell hit an early three-pointer, but he may have been onto something because Ruben Prey suddenly got red hot. 

The backup sophomore center from Lisbon, Portugal, hadn’t hit more than two threes in any single game this season. But that’s how many he knocked down in the first half against the Blue Devils, going a perfect 3-3 and helping lead the Johnnies to a 40-39 lead at the intermission. 

Ruben Prey leads St. John’s to a 40-39 1st half lead going 3-3 from beyond the arc

St. John’s shot just 33 percent from three this season. But against a stout Duke defense with ACC Defensive Player of the Year Maliq Brown patrolling the paint, the Johnnies have been forced to fire away from deep, Prey included. 

Prey shot 11-20 from three this season, averaging less than one attempt per game. In his second year at St. John’s, he averaged just 4.1 points and 2.1 rebounds. However, with Bryce Hopkins picking up an early foul, Prey was forced to play 10 minutes and made a major impact with nine points, including the go-ahead three in the final seconds. 

If St. John’s fans were praying for divine intervention in the first half, they may have gotten it with the red-hot shooting. It wasn’t just Prey. Dylan Darling went 2-2 after shooting 27.1 percent this year, and Mitchell, who hadn’t made a three-pointer all year, knocked down his lone attempt. 

A deep tournament run has many heros and for one half in D.C., that has been Ruben Prey. However, Red Storm will need to stay red hot in the second half to knock off the Tournament’s No. 1 seed.